Signing off JSA for my own new busniess. Please read Jobcentre aren't helpful

ForestGump_2

Hi everyone, i've used this forum plenty of times and had some great info from it, now i hope i can pick someone's brains with more knowledge on the subject than me or the nice but useless staff at my local jobcentre.

Basically, i've bought a small fishing boat and pots and fishing license and i'm just about to sign off 'the dole' - who have been no help whatsoever in helping me find information about self employment, grants, courses, funding for anything to get me out of their office and make some money for ultimately their boss - the government :S

I've had to sell everything i've got to get where i am so far, and do it off my own back and it's been so much wind (3 weeks of weather what been impossible to fish here) theres been no chance of even fishing soon never mind the actual task of catching something now the big boats have wiped the place out. They are keen to get me off the jsa (about 7 months on it now ) but not keen to give me any support of how i can earn even a minimal amount on the weeks i catch nothing (and as im new to commercial fishing theres going to be lots of them weeks!)

I've been told about the self employment scheme what used to be in place but it's no longer there, the tax credits thing they didnt know where i would stand because im going self employed and theres no set time i would be at sea (lots of hours mending things on land though on bad weather) and basically told to just toddle off and dont forget to sign off.

They are nice people but havent been trained properly i think they are more used to just signing people on as its a deprived area than people actually trying to do something.

So, where do i stand here? I'm scared to sign off as i will lose any cash (i know its not much but it's something) and also annoyed they have been no help in finding out information for me.

I can't wait to get off the jsa and do my own thing but as its potential to fail or not make much the first year is high for amateurs. jsa is not much but its something what could feed me and pay for bills.

Any advice would be really helpful, if you need to know more to determine where i stand with this just ask. Everyone i speak to in other areas tells me about their courses and licenses they get to help them but i keep getting told 'there is zero funding and we dont know about other things we ust find you jobs.'

cheers

Two4Tuesday

If the fishing is difficult, on quiet weeks maybe you can rescue millionaires who have fallen off their yachts for a reward?

Or you can see if BusinessLink can give you advice.

dugdale_2

I work at JCP (although in an office some distance from the coast) and I:
Don't know of any grants to help you set up as a fisherman.
Don't know of any courses that will help you as a self employed fisherman. See business link for info about becoming self employed
Don't know of any funding to help you set up as a self employed fisherman.

I presume your business plan allowed for times when you wouldn't be able to fish due to inclement weather, not that it would make any difference as you stated that there are no fish to catch anyway as the big boats have already taken all the fish.
Speak to the tax credits people about tax credits, that's what they're there for.

When you're ready to start fishing ask your adviser about New Enterprise Allowance, better still do a google search and read up about it first.

eskimo26

Basically, i've bought a small fishing boat and pots and fishing license and i'm just about to sign off 'the dole' - who have been no help whatsoever in helping me find information about self employment, grants, courses, funding for anything to get me out of their office and make some money for ultimately their boss - the government :S

Is there a difference between a civilian and a commercial license? Can't you stay signed on and spend your spare time fishing for leisure to test the water so to speak. Then when it's practical you will have the experience and confidence to get straight to it, it doesn't sound practical at the moment it sounds risky.

ForestGump_2

dugdale wrote: »

I work at JCP (although in an office some distance from the coast) and I:
Don't know of any grants to help you set up as a fisherman.
Don't know of any courses that will help you as a self employed fisherman. See business link for info about becoming self employed
Don't know of any funding to help you set up as a self employed fisherman.

I presume your business plan allowed for times when you wouldn't be able to fish due to inclement weather, not that it would make any difference as you stated that there are no fish to catch anyway as the big boats have already taken all the fish.
Speak to the tax credits people about tax credits, that's what they're there for.

When you're ready to start fishing ask your adviser about New Enterprise Allowance, better still do a google search and read up about it first.

Errr thanks for your reply, :S You must have similar training in England as we do in Scotland. My business plan involved selling everything i own to pay for the 5 grand license ontop of buying the boat and engine and taking the plunge then finding the cash to buy the pots and other stuff i needed - its not cheap. I could of thought it out more - didnt have time, its a short season for the most valuable catches so it was now or never + its something that i enjoy so its a no brainer really.

New enterprise sounds great, just what i need, starts here in a few months, my JC havent mentioned it at all and when asked they knew nothing about it which is odd no?.. maybe i should forget about fishing till then, and just sit on my a55 all day pretending to look for work like half the scumballs/junkies i have to see everytime im unfortunate enough to have to visit the JC?
When i bump into any other 'normal people' in there its like we all feel the need to group together just for our own safety in there at times :rotfl: Not to mention the odd patronising member of staff :whistle: who think it's their money they are giving you...

It's a horrible experience having to sign on where i live. Maybe your lucky enough to have never been living in a deprived area or not have had to sign on through circumstances, that's fine - i have, and it's not fun, so some help or advice from the jc occasionally would be nice.
It's my 1st time on dole in 10 years and it will be the last - once i sign off i dont care if i need to eat my own turd to fill my stomach each day it would be more pleasurable than having to be unemployed. I know theres cuts, doesnt mean we need to be treated like begging animals does it?

I asked for was any help towards doing my sea survival course or radio license course, powerboat level 11, waterproofs - anything useful for me starting out/essentials - the answer was no to all of above. ILA Scotland has been great and helpful and are helping me out with 200 pounds towards what training i need - i advise anyone , working or not to get in touch with them and see how they can help. Can earn up to 22k per year and still be entitled to training im sure

It's fine if your a bum and wanting to go play on some forklifts for 3 days with no intent ever of doing it as a job, or needing a driving license with no intent ever of driving, but if you genuinely need help i'm afraid my local JC is all but hopeless with information how to help you. My nearest business gateway office in my county is 80 odd miles away - helpful eh?! As i say, i've done it off my own back now, but financially fooked doing so. So yeah, i think we should be entitled to some sort of security for making changes with intent of employing people in an otherwise jobless area/country!

I'm about to do something sustainable, low impact on the environment and get off the jsa - surely this is worth having a go a no??

Off to ring the 'working tax people' maybe they might be useful? At least now i know they are my only option thanks for clearing that up


Thanks for all replies, i hope anyone else reading this isn't planning on setting up a business for first time at the minute with no grants - not unless you win the postcode lottery with your jc that is

I could of fished with 5 pots and land 1 lobster per day maximum without license - its not possible to find out what you can and cant make without doing it illegally im afraid, and ask any fisherman what he makes each week you know where he will tell you to go.

Cheers again

-gone fishin'-

Forest

WPN

Enquire about the New Enterprise Allowance. Its being rolled out in stages... I assume you are in Scotland? I think Scotland is to be eligible in June 2011 (next month). Its no major deal... your jobseekers rate for 3 months, which then halves for 3 month.. and you can get a loan of up to £1000 if they like your business plan. But its better than nothing and it could quite well help your circumstances. Hopes this helps.

(just realised this has already been mentioned - ask your jobcentre for details)

dugdale_2

I really shouldn't bother to respond but what the heck, here goes.

Your business plan involved selling everything you owned to buy your boat, engine, licence and pots etc however you didn't budget for a sea survival course, radio licence course, powerboat level 11 or a set of waterproofs. You had to rush to buy all these items as the fishing season for the valuable catches is very short and you didn't want to miss out however the weather has been bad and you haven't been able to fish whilst the larger boats have been out and they've taken all the fish. Not really the Jobcentre's fault is it ?

When you visit the Jobcentre you feel that some of the staff are patronising and give you the impression that it's their money that they're giving you. Well let me tell you that the money that you are receiving in benefit is tax payers money (and the staff that are working in the Jobcentre are tax payers).

Believe me when I say that as an adviser working at Jobcentre Plus I wouldn't wish unemployment on anyone, I don't see how anyone can live on the ammount of money that this government pays in benefits, I doubt very much that I could. I admire that you've found a way off benefits however feel that you expectation of financial help may be a little optomistic, and perhaps the cost of the items and training that you still require might have to be funded by means other than the national purse.

Hammyman

ForestGump wrote: »

Basically, i've bought a small fishing boat and pots and fishing license

As someone who was born and bred in a small fishing town, the only two words I can come up with are "Oh. Dear".

Let me guess...you watch "Deadliest Catch", "Trawler Wars" and thought "that looks like easy money".

and i'm just about to sign off 'the dole' - who have been no help whatsoever in helping me find information about self employment, grants, courses, funding for anything to get me out of their office and make some money for ultimately their boss - the government :S

If you want to be self employed, you need to get used to standing on your own two feet. Doing research into the things you say they've not helped you with is what YOU should have been doing when sorting out a business plan and looking into the viability of it, how you would support yourself etc.

So, where do i stand here? I'm scared to sign off as i will lose any cash (i know its not much but it's something) and also annoyed they have been no help in finding out information for me.

I can't wait to get off the jsa and do my own thing but as its potential to fail or not make much the first year is high for amateurs. jsa is not much but its something what could feed me and pay for bills.

Any advice would be really helpful, if you need to know more to determine where i stand with this just ask. Everyone i speak to in other areas tells me about their courses and licenses they get to help them but i keep getting told 'there is zero funding and we dont know about other things we ust find you jobs.'

cheers

Pack it in now and sell all you've bought. You are just not cut out for it going on the whining and the "I expect everyone to do it all for me" attitude your posts indicates.

mikey72

Good old Hammyman, always happy to help.

Have you looked at

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/grants-subsidies/seafisheries

or generally

http://www.bgateway.com/bdotg/action/bsfSearch?page=1&purposeId=0&site=202&viewPersonalList=false


Good luck.

Adams1

dugdale wrote: »

When you visit the Jobcentre you feel that some of the staff are patronising and give you the impression that it's their money that they're giving you. Well let me tell you that the money that you are receiving in benefit is tax payers money (and the staff that are working in the Jobcentre are tax payers).

And their entire paycheck is paid via taxpayers money... No? Lol. I see no excuse for them to be patronizing. They are public servants. And yes, most of them are old grumpy people who do their best to keep you away from receiving any help possible.

I remember I was on JSA for a while, I practically begged them for £250 for a PCO license but they simply said "no." Yet they'd happily keep me on JSA for an entire year costing "tax payers" £2,800.

Some people really take their jobs for granted and shouldn't be working in JCP offices. They refuse to help anybody trying to get of JSA and only help the people who make a scene just to shut them up. And the people who make scenes are mostly pot heads or alcoholic mothers.

Another thing I've noticed is most of them look like "soccer moms." always dressed/maked up to the limits wearing 7 inch high heals who do their best to ignore you as they huddle together laughing off at something that happened the previous night.

Sorry but not many "real" people work in JCP's and its a shame as a lot of honest people get turned away from any real help.